Toy house construction



April 21, 1964 PAMULA 3,129,526

TOY HOUSE CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 23, 1961 INVENTOR. f/edys Pawufa United States Patent Ofi 3,129,526 Patented Apr. 21, 1964 ice 3,129,526 TGY HOUSE CONSTRUQTION Gladys Panruia, 123 1st St, East Providence, RI. Fiied Get. 23, 1961, Ser. No. 146,966 1 Claim. (Ci. 46-41) The present invention relates generally to a toy of the set-up or knock-down type and is more particularly concerned with a toy house construction that may be easily assembled and disassembled by children.

A primary object of my invention is the provision of a toy house construction which may be easily assembled and disassembled by children, and which may either be of a relatively small size, such as a doll house or the like, or which may be large enough for children to assemble and set up out of doors for use as a club house or the like.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a toy house construction of the character described wherein the house may be completely set up without the use of any fastening means of any type, such as screws, nails, etc.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a toy house construction having a minimum number of separate parts whereby it is relatively simple and economically feasible to manufacture, in addition to being simple to assemble and disassemble.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a toy house construction which is of pleasing appearance and which may take a variety of different ornamental forms, and which provides both fun and amusement tor children, as well as achieving an educational or therapeutic function.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated by me for carrying out the instant invention: I

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toy house construction embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of one of the end walls of my toy house construction;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one of the louver members which forms a part of my invention; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one of the roof members which forms a part of my invention.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown generally at It) a toy house construction embodying the present invention, it being obvious that the house it is shown in its set-up or assembled condition. The house comprises a front end wall .12 and a rear end wall i4, said front end wall having a bottom edge 16, side edges 18 and a convergent top edge 2! while rear end wall 14, which is of similar construction, has a bottom edge 22, side edges 24 and a convergent top edge 26. -It will be understood that end walls 12 and 14- are of substantially the same size and configuration, and front end wall 12 is provided with a door opening 28. It will be understood that any desirable window openings (not shown) may be cut in the end walls 12 and 14, and, by the same token, a rear door opening (not shown) could be cut in the rear end wall 14.

The end walls 12 and 14- are interconnected and maintained in set-up or assembled position by means of a plurality of louvers 39 (-FIG. 4). The louvers 3d are of elongated, rectangular configuration and are longitudinally bent along their longitudinal center line as at 32. In order to assemble the louvers 3!} to end walls 12 and 1 4, a plurality of slots 34 extend inwardly and downwardly from the side edges of each of the end walls. The slots of the spaced end walls are in registry with each other, and all of said slots are of substantially the same length, said length being approximately one half the width of each louver 30. The depth of the slots 34 is such that the louvers 3t may be frictionally slid therein, as most clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and since the length of each slot is one half the width of each louver, and since each louver is bent along its center line, it will be apparent that when the louvers are slid into the slots to their full extent, the bend lines 32 will be located substantially flush with the side edges of the end walls. Thus, the louvers 30 function, in effect, as side walls for the house it it being understood that the louvers will prevent rain from coming into the house, where the house is of a size so as to be set up out of doors for a childs club house or the like, while at the same time the louvers will permit the introduction of light into the house.

In order to cover the top of the house, a pair of identical roof members 36 are provided, each of said roof members consisting of a flat, rectangular sheet having an angularly disposed flange 38. The roof members 36 are preferably of the same length as louvers 30, or longer, whereby when the end walls .12 and 114 are interconnected by the louvers so as to be maintained in their set-up condition, the roof members, and specifically the flanges 38, may be hooked over the uppermost point of each of the end walls, as clearly illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2-. It will be understood that one of the roof members will be in direct contact with the uppermost point of the end walls, while the other roof member will actually sit on top of and hook over the first roof member. Thus it will be seen that the roof members 36 are simply gravitationally placed in position and are maintained assembled by the interengagement of flanges 38 with end walls 1-2 and 14.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that in order to set up or assemble the house it it is simply necessary to interconnect end walls 12 and 14 by means of the louvers 3d. The roof members 36 are then simply placed in position so that their flanges 3'8 hook over the upper convergent point of each end wall. Thus, in setting up the house it}, no fastening means, such as nails, screws or the like, need be employed, and likewise, when disassembling the house, nothing more is necessary than to simply remove the louvers 30 from slots 34. Thus, whether the house be of relatively small or doll-house size, or whether it be of a size sufiicient to be set up out of doors for use as a club house or the like for small children, it represents something that a child alone is capable of assembling and disassembling and which provides fun and amusement for the child, as well as accomplishing a certain educational or therapeutic function, as is the case in connection with any construction toy. It will be understood that the end walls, the louvers and the roof members may be of any suitable material, such as a reinforced cardboard or fiberboard, or any suitable plastic. Also, although three louvers are illustrated at each side of the house, it will be understood that any desired number may be used, and it will further be understood that the longitudinal bend in each louver may be at any desired angle. The fact that the slots 34 incline downwardly from the side edges of the end walls functions to prevent the louvers from inadvertently sliding out of their mounting, which, of course, would cause the house to collapse. For sake of appearance, it will be seen that the outer edges of louvers 30' are substantially flush with the outer or lower edges of roof members 36, although from a structural standpoint, this is not critical.

While there is shown and described herein specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and'that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A toy house construction comprising a pair of spaced uniplanar end Walls, each having a bottom edge, side edges and a top edge, each of said end 'walls having a plurality of slots extending inwardly and downwardly from each side edge, said slots each being of substantially the same length with the slots of one end wall in registry with the slots of the other end Wall, a plurality of elongated louvers slidably engaged in said slots with each louver extending from one slot in one end wall to the registered slot in the other end wall, said louvers I} each being downwardly bent along a longitudinal axis located substantially at the side edges of said end walls, whereupon said louvers assume an inverted V-shape configuration in transverse cross section, and a roof gravitationally positioned on the top edges of said end Walls to cover said house.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,385,155 Shields July 19, 1921 1,4 28,405 Wegener Sept. 5, 1922 1,567,849 Kliner Dec. 29, 1925 2,751,706 Metal June 26, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 540,481 Belgium Aug. 31, 1955 1,243,060 France Aug. 29, 1960 

